Air-flo hair templet

ABSTRACT

A hair templet is constructed of a plurality of wefts of hair strands sewn to a base. The base is releasably anchored to the wearer&#39;&#39;s scalp by a plurality of snap fasteners. The sockets of the snap fasteners are secured in place to the user&#39;&#39;s natural hair. The base includes an oval band of fabric. A first plurality of parallel straps of fabric extend between discrete areas of the band and a second plurality of parallel straps perpendicularly intersecting the first straps extend between further discrete areas of the band. A portion of the base includes a layer of netting encompassing the area of the wearer&#39;&#39;s part. The wefts are sewn to the netting to prevent detection of the hair piece at the part line.

[151 3,659,621 [451 May 2,1972

United States Patent Tucciarone et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 342,365 9/1904 [54] AIR-FLO HAIR TEMPLET [72] Inventors: Joseph Tucclarone, 382 West Street rison, N.Y. 10528; vMartin Genuth, 119 lrrna Drive, Oceanside, N.Y. 11572 June 18, 1970 Attorney-Polachek, Saulsbury & Hough [22] Filed:

ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 47,212

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Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,621

2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTORS JOSEPH TUCCIARONE BMARTIN GENUTH' @www ATTRNE X5' Patented lMay 2, 1972 l 3,659,621

2 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTORS JOSEPH TUCCIARONE BY MARTIN GENUTH TTRNE 5 AIR-FLO HAIR TEMPLET The popularity of mens hairpieces has rapidly grown. This is due to the fact that the use of hair pieces produces an immediate desirable visual effect and thus reduces the psychological impediment of a receeding hairline.

Unfortunately, several difficulties have been encountered with the use of present hair pieces. One disadvantage encountered with the use of hair pieces wherein the base is formed of a continuous contoured sheet of netting is the fact that these hair pieces were uncomfortable because natural air circulation on the users scalp is inhibited.

Another disadvantage encountered with the use of some hair pieces is that occassionally, a gust of wind or an inadvertent brushing ofthe hair piece removes the sarne from its position on the users scalp, thereby resulting in an extremely embarrassing situation. Because of this fact, most users of these hair pieces are extremely inhibited and quite protective to guard against inadvertent touching of the hair piece.

In an effort to overcome this latter disadvantage, several hairpieces have been designed to be permanently anchored to the users head. Some of these permanently anchored hair pieces are woven to the remaining natural hairs on a userscalp in a complicated and tedious hairweaving process. In one process of permanently affixing a hair piece, a strand or strands of thread are attached to the natural hair peripherally circumscribing the bald area. Subsequently,fthe hair piece is woven to the placed threads for permanent securement. Although this process of hairweaving left the user with a substantial reassurance that the hairpiece could not be inadvertently moved from the position on the users head, certain sanitary and other problems were encountered. One of these problems was the fact that the washing of the users scalp was greatly impeded by the permanently attached unnatural hair piece secured over the users scalp.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a hair piece of the general character described which is not subject to the foregoing disadvantages.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to produce a hair piece of the general character described which is light in weight, comfortable and easily donned, yet includes means whereby it may be positioned on the users scalp without inadvertently being moved therefrom.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a hair piece wherein the base thereof includes a plurality of strips to which wefts of hair strands are sewn while providing spaces between the strips wherein air is permitted to circulate on the users scalp.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hair piece of the general character described including a base of strips of fabric and further including a layer of netting encompassing an area wherein the wearer would normally part his natural hair were his head covered with natural hair, and wherein wefts of aligned strands of hair are sewn to the netting to simulate thick natural hair at the part line.

lt is a further object of the present invention to providea hair piece of the general character described wherein the base thereof is selectively anchored to the users scalp by a two element snap fastener with one element woven to the users natural hair and positioned in registry with the mating element on the base.

Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts as set forth in the hair templet hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a person wearing a hair templet or hair piece constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention and showing a simulation of a thick natural hair.

FIG, 2 is a plan view of the undersurface of a base of the hair piece illustrated in FIG. l and showing an oval band of fabric material having snap fasteners positioned at spaced intervals therealong; further illustrated is a plurality of parallel straps extending between discrete edges of the band along with a further plurality of parallel straps perpendicularly intersecting the first straps and with wefts of aligned strands of hair sewn to the intersecting straps and around the band; additionally shown is a layer of netting secured over several straps and to a portion of the band and to which wefts of aligned strands are sewn. v

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1 (transversely through the wearers part line) and showing a layer of netting secured to the base of the hair piece at the part line and with aligned wefts of. strands of hair sewn to the netting to simulate a thick hair growth at the part line.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and through a strap of tubular fabric material extending along a plane of the longitudinal axis of the oval band and showing a resilient plastic bone member within the tubular strip.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary auxiliary view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and illustrating a male snap fastener element secured to a portion of the ovalband and further showing a strap secured to the band.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the users head and showing the manner in which the female snap fastener elements are secured to the users natural hair along spaced portions of the hair line.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the users head with a forward portion of the hair piece broken away to better illustrate the manner in which the snap fasteners secure the hair piece to the users head.

FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the separated male and female members of a snap fastener in registry and showing, in greater detail, the manner in which the female member is secured to the users natural hair ladjacent the hairline.

FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the base including a portion of the oval band, several intersecting strips, and the netting to which the wefts adjacent the part line are sewn.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a yhair piece constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. The hair piece l0 includes a plurality of weftsl2 of aligned strands of hair which are sewn together. The wefts l2 are in turn sewn to a base I4. ln accordance with the present invention the base 14 is constructed of anoval band 16 (see FIG.,2) of fabric material. The fabric is preferably tubular in cross sectional configuration and may be made of silk ribbon. A hair piece circumscribing weft 12 is sewn to the band 16 by stitching 18. The stitching 18 extends along the entire length of the oval band as is the weft l2 which is sewn to the band 16.

The base 14 includes a matrix of intersecting groups of parallel strips. A first plurality of parallel strips 20 lies substantially in planes parallel to and including the longitudinal axis of the oval band 16. The strips 20 extend across discrete opposed surfaces of the band. Wefts 12 of aligned strands of hair are sewn adjacent their bases to the strips 20 by stitching 22 which stitching also serves to join the terminal ends of the strips 20 to the portions of the band 16 which are overlain by the strips 20.

In order to provide a rigidifying body for the hair piece, selected strips 20 include a plastic bone 24 (see FIG. 3) of substantially rectangular transverse cross-section which is received within the hollow tubular interior of the selected strips 20. lt will be noted that the strips 20 are constructed of fabric and may be constructed of the same silk ribbon of which the band 16 is constructed.

The matrix is completed by a second plurality of parallel strips 26. The strips 26 lie substantially in parallel planes perpendicularly intersecting the planes ofthe strips 20 and extend between opposed surfaces of the band 16. It should be noted that wefts 12 of aligned strands of hair are sewn to the strips 26 as by stitching 28 which also serves to join the strips 26 to the band 16 at portions ofthe band which are overlain by the terminal portions of the strips 26.

At the intersection of each of the strips 20 with a strip 26, the strips are commonly joined by the stitching of the last stitched strip.

ln accordance with the present invention the base 14 additionally includes a portion adjacent the temple area wherein portions of the strips 26 are covered by layers 30, 32 of netting. It will be observed that an entire strip 20 which underlies the netting 30, 32 does not include a weft 12. Additionally, the portions of the strips 26 which are covered by the netting 30, 32 do not include the wefts l2.

The inner layer 32 of the netting adjacent the strips 20, 26 is essentially a lining layer and the outer layer 30 faces the exterior surface of the hair piece and aligned rows of wefts l2 are sewn to this layer. A hair part line 34 is formed along the netting 30 and between adjacent rows of sewn wefts. It will be appreciated that the part line 34 is parallel to the aligned rows of wefts and the part line 34 will thus be in an area wherein the hair wefts are essentially thickly grouped, thus simulating rich natural hair.

Optionally, the part line 34 may bel formed on the strip 20 which borders the longitudinal edge of the netting layers 30, 32. The simulated thick hair growth effect produced by the wefts sewn to the netting adjacent the part line 34 thus produces a natural and aesthetically pleasing effect.

lt will be appreciated that with the wefts l2 of hair sewn to the strips 20, 26 of the matrix and around the peripheral band 16, clear uncovered areas are left between adjacent strips wherein air may freely circulate on the users scalp. Thus, a natural, healthful condition of the users scalp is stimulated. Not only is air free to circulate on the scalp, but additionally, the user is free to scratch his scalp as if it were natural hair and the hair piece will not move if his fingers are placed in the spaces between the strips ofthe matrix.

As has been previously mentioned, the present invention additionally provides for the selective releasable securement of the hair piece to the users head. For this purpose there is provided at spaced intervals along the oval band 16, a plurality of male snap fastener elements 40. Each of the elements 40 is secured to the undersurface of the band as by stitching. It will be appreciated that the male snap fastener elements 40 include a protuberance 42 which centrally projects from a disc shaped base 44. The base 44 includes a plurality of openings through which the base 44 may be secured as by stitching. Optionally the base 44 may be anchored by suitable adhesives.

A mating female snap fastener element 46 is secured to the users head along portions adjacent the hairline. Each female snap fastener 46 includes a base 48 and a socket 50. There are a plurality of spaced openings in the base 48 through which selected strands of the users natural hair are inserted and suitably woven or tied adjacent their roots to tightly maintain the female snap fastener member 46 in a fixed position on the users head, which position is in registry with the male snap fastener element 40 secured to the band 16.

ln FlG. 6 a typical application is illustrated wherein three female snap fastener elements 46 are secured to the users head adjacent the hair line with strands of natural hair being inserted and woven through openings in the base 48 of the snap fastener element 46.

In order to don the hair piece l0, the user merely aligns a male snap fastener element 40 with a corresponding female snap fastener element 46 affixed to his head and presses the protuberance. Thus the hair piece l is secured to the users head and cannot be inadvertently removed or have its position inadvertently altered.

lf it is desired to remove the hair piece 10 for any reason, the user need merely pull the snap fastener elements apart by grasping both elements and exerting a force to separate the elements. Thus, the hair piece l0 may be removed when the user |s bathing at home, ut if the user is in a public bathing area such as a swimming pool or at the beach, he may safely enter the water and submerge his head therein without the danger of embarrassing inadvertent loss, detection or removal of the hair piece l0.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided a hair piece of the general character described which achieves the various objects ofthe invention, and which is well suited to meet the conditions of practical use.

What is claimed is:

l. A hair piece for covering an area of a human beings head, comprising a base, said base comprising an oval band, a first plurality of strips, each of said strips in the rst plurality lying substantially within parallel planes and extending between spaced discrete surfaces of the band, a second plurality of strips, the second plurality of strips lying substantially within parallel planes and extending between spaced discrete surfaces of the band, the strips of the first plurality intersecting the strips of the second plurality, the hair piece furtherl including wefts of aligned strands of hair, means securing the wefts to the strips and means for selectively releasably securing the base to a human beings scalp, said base securing means including a fastener having two separable elements, means securing one of the elements to the base, means'for securing the other element to a human beings head adjacent the area to be covered, a netting material, means securing the netting material to a portion of the base, the portion of the base corresponding to an area adjacent the part line o f a human beings head, selected wefts being secured to the netting and thereby being simulatable of a thick growth of hair at a human beings part line, and a lining of netting material in registry with the first-mentioned netting material and being located such as to be positionable adjacent a human beings head when the hair piece is worn thereon.

2. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim l, wherein the area to be covered is supported by a peripheral zone of natural hair, the means for securing the other element to a human beings head being securable of said other elements adjacent the hair line of the natural hair of a human being's head and including means in the other element receivable of selective strands of natural hair of a human beings head such that the other element is tightly grippable with a human beings natural hair, a plurality of fasteners each including two elements, means securing one element of each fastener to a discreet surface of the space, means for securing the other element of each fastener to a registered discreet area on a human beings head adjacent the hair line of the natural hair of a human beings head, and said one element of each fastener being secured to the band.

3. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein several fasteners are provided, the one element of each fastener being secured to a discrete surface of the base and the other element of the fastener being securable to a predetermined registered discrete area of a human beings head adjacent the hair line of natural hair of the human beings head, and the one element of each fastener being secured to a discrete surface of the band.

4. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim l, wherein the fastener is a snap fastener having a protuberance in a selected element and a resilient socket in the mating element. 

1. A hair piece for covering an area of a human being''s head, comprising a base, said base comprising an oval band, a first plurality of strips, each of said strips in the first plurality lying substantially within parallel planes and extending between spaced discrete surfaces of the band, a second plurality of strips, the second plurality of strips lying substantially within parallel planes and extending between spaced discrete surfaces of the band, the strips of the first plurality intersecting the strips of the second plurality, the hair piece further including wefts of aligned strands of hair, means securing the wefts to the strips and means for selectively releasably securing the base to a human being'' s scalp, said base securing means including a fastener having two separable elements, means securing one of the elements to the base, means for securing the other element to a human being''s head adjacent the area to be covered, a netting material, means securing the netting material to a portion of the base, the portion of the base corresponding to an area adjacent the part line of a human being''s head, selected wefts being secured to the netting and thereby being simulatable of a thick growth of hair at a human being''s part line, and a lining of netting material in registry with the first-mentioned netting material and being located such as to be positionable adjacent a human being''s head when the hair piece is worn thereon.
 2. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein the area to be covered is supported by a peripheral zone of natural hair, the means for securing the other element to a huMan being''s head being securable of said other elements adjacent the hair line of the natural hair of a human being''s head and including means in the other element receivable of selective strands of natural hair of a human being''s head such that the other element is tightly grippable with a human being''s natural hair, a plurality of fasteners each including two elements, means securing one element of each fastener to a discreet surface of the space, means for securing the other element of each fastener to a registered discreet area on a human being''s head adjacent the hair line of the natural hair of a human being''s head, and said one element of each fastener being secured to the band.
 3. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein several fasteners are provided, the one element of each fastener being secured to a discrete surface of the base and the other element of the fastener being securable to a predetermined registered discrete area of a human being''s head adjacent the hair line of natural hair of the human being''s head, and the one element of each fastener being secured to a discrete surface of the band.
 4. A hair piece constructed in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastener is a snap fastener having a protuberance in a selected element and a resilient socket in the mating element. 